Railroad cross-tie.



R. AXM A'N. RAILROAD GROSS TIE.

APPLIOATIOF FILED 1'33. 8, 1909.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

INVENTOR.

WI TN SSES tail View, showing UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF AXMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 NICHOLAS R. HARRIS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD CROSS-TIE.

988, 752. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 8, 1909.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911. Serial No. 476,781.

To all whom it may concern: cured to the tie by the anchor braces.

Be it known that I, RUnoLF AXMAN, a 4:- is an isometrical side citizen of the United States, and residing at 95 Market street, in the city of San Fran- Fig. elevation of the special form of anchor brace for securing the insulating blocks to the tie. Fig. 5- is cisco, county of San Francisco, and State of an lsometrical perspective side elevation of California, have invented certain new and one of the insulating blocks adapted to supuseful Improvements in Railroad Cross- Ties; and I do hereby declare the following to be aifull, clear, and exact description of the said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same. his invention relates to improvements in railroad cross ties and particularly to an all metal cross tie and consists of the novel construction and arrangement of the parts.

The objects sought to be accomplished are to produce an all steel single piece railroad port the rail.

In detail the construction consists of the railroad cross tie composed of a single strip of sheet steel or other suitable metal having the upturned edges 1, the base angles 2 and the arch sides 3 and'the arch crown 4; the latter angles forming a central corrugation the full length of the tie of equal height to the upturned edges 1, across and upon which the rail is adapted to rest. The rail is secured to the tie by the anchor braces each composed of a single piece of sheet metal ti f maximum t th d mmimum blanked and formed with the downward exweight, which can be ballasted 1n the usual tenslons 5, engaging the sides of the center manner and will at th a ti -ov d arch and cut to fit the sides of the rail from the edge of the base thereof up the web and under the head of the rail. The body 6 of the brace extends from the top of the center arch to the underside of the head of the rail. This anchor brace is secured to the center drainage to prevent the dislodgment of ballast about the tie; and further to provide a metallic attachment for economically securing the rail to the tie and also to electrically insulate the railroad rail from the metallic tie.

Broadly, the invention consists of a single piece of sheet metal corrugated longitudinally, and an angular metallic anchor brace straddling the central corrugation of the tie and secured thereto by a key and adapted to engage the Web of the rail beneath the head and over the base on both sides of the rail which rests across the tie.

On railroads Where the block system is used or Where it is desired to insulate the rail from the ground, or one rail from the other, an insulating block composed of a suitable plastic concrete is interposed between the anchor braces and the cross tie on both sides of the rail, which is supported between the two insulating blocks.

In the drawings: Figure 1- is an isometrical perspective end elevation of a railroad tie having a railroad rail secured thereto in accordance with this invention, the far end of the tie showing an anchor brace in position to receive the rail. Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation of a section of a tie showing an end elevation of the rail and a side elevation of the anchor braces which secure the rail to the tie. Fig. 3- is a similar dethe insulating blocks interposed between the tie and the rail and se- 10 struck up from the crown L as illustrated in Fig. 1, or the key may be passed through the sides of the anchor brace and through slots cut in the sides of the center arch. as illustrated in Fig. 3. The anchor braces are secured on opposite sides of the rail on each tie and form a pyramidal support, as shown in Fig. 2. here the ties are sufficiently close together and the rails are not subject-- ed to heavy traflic, it is suflicient to provide but one anchor brace on each tie on alternate sides of the rail.

The method of securing the rail to the tie, as above described, sutlices where insulation of the rails from each other, or from the earth is not a factor. In certain block signal systems, which depend upon the insulation of the one rail from the other and both from the earth, it is apparent that a metallic tie would short circuit or ground the electric current. To overcome this disadvantage, the plastic concrete blocks 11 are provided. These blocks are composed of any suitable mixture of cement or bitumen or other suitable substance with electric insulating properties and capable of being molded into shape at small cost. The blocks have a central transverse opening 12, which fits down over the center arch in the tie, the base portions 13 filling the intermediate space between the sides of the arch and the upturned edges of the tie. The longitudinal groove 14 is formed to exactly receive onehalf of the rail base, the portion 15 being formed to snugly'fit the sides of the web and well up under the head of the rail. The top of the block slopes downwardly from the head of the rail to a point just above the top of the tie. Two of these blocks set together completely inclose the rail below the head and insulate it completely from the tie and transmit the whole load from the rail to the tie. The blocks are held in position by the anchor braces 16 similar in every respect to the anchor braces first described, except that they may be provided with the lateral extensions 17 adapted to lie against the sloping top or" the blocks instead of being bent inward to fit the sides of the rail as first described. The abutments 18 are struck up "from the top of the center arch against which the anchor braces are adapted to lie. These anchor braces are secured to the tie by the keys 19, which pass through slots cut in the sides of the center arch coincident with the slots in the sides of the anchor braces. These keys are preferably of wrought or malleable steel capable of being twisted or bent to prevent their working loose or withdrawal except by intention.

The tie as formed with the upturned edges and the center arch or corrugation running longitudinally, is rendered very stiff and rigid by reason or" its formation. These corrugations, by reason of their open angles, are easily formed by the rolling practice common in the manufacture of steel articles of this class.

The tie is ballasted in the road bed in the same manner common to wooden ties. It has the additional advantage however that the open corrugation between the upturned edges and the center arch forms a natural drainage for carrying water away from the road bed and discharging it at the ends of the ties. WVhere solid ties are used the side wash of water during floods or heavy rainfalls strikes the ends of the ties and is di verted and rushes across the track between the ties with force suflicient to dislodge inclosing ballast to a very dangerous extent. During a heavy rain storm the downpour falling upon the solid tie courses down the sides of the tie, dislodging the ballast. It is obvious that these disadvantages are corrected by the present invention;

Having thus described this invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: p

1. A railroad cross tie consisting of a single piece of sheet metal corrugated longitudinally to form a central arch; insulating blocks adapted to inclose the rail below the head on opposite sides and straddle the Y central arch of the tie; angular metallic anchor braces straddling the central arch of the tie and adapted to engage said insulating blocks; a key adapted to pass through coincident openings formed in the sides or the anchor braces'and the center arch of the tie. a a

2. The combination with a railway tie corrugated longitudinally to form a central arch, of means for securing a rail in position thereon, said means including insulating blocks arranged to inclose the rail, and anchor braces straddling the arch of the tie and provided with means for engaging said blocks.

8. The combination with a railway tie corrugated longitudinally to form a central arch, of means for securing a rail in position thereon, said means including insulating blocks arranged to inclose the rail, and anchor braces straddling the arch of the tie and provided with inclined portions arranged to engage said blocks.

a. he combination with a railway tie corrugated longitudinally to form a central arch, of means for securing a rail in position thereon, said means including insulating blocks provided with base portions straddling the central arch of the tie, said blocks the rail, and anchor braces also straddling the arch of the tie and provided with inclined portions engaging said blocks. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

aUDoLr AXMAN.

Witnesses:

B. B. BENDALL, MARsHALn C. HARRIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. C. 

